Sheikh Hasina

Sheikh Hasina was born on 28 September 1947 to the Bengali Muslim Sheikh family of Tungipara in East Bengal.

Sheikh Hasina married M. A. Wazed Miah, a Bangladeshi physicist, writer, and chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission.

Except for her husband, children and sister Sheikh Rehana, Sheikh Hasina's entire family was murdered during the 15 August 1975 Bangladeshi coup d'état which saw the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Hasina, Wazed and Rehana were visiting Europe at the time of the assassination. They took refuge in the house of the Bangladeshi ambassador to West Germany; before taking up an offer of political asylum from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India. The surviving members of the family lived in exile in New Delhi, India for six years.

In 1981, while living in exile in India, Sheikh Hasina was elected as the President of the Awami League, which has been described as a 'left-of-center' party.

In February 1984, Sheikh Hasina was put under house arrest, during a period of martial law in Bangladesh.

In November 1984, Sheikh Hasina was once again put under house arrest during the period of martial law in Bangladesh.

In March 1985, Sheikh Hasina was put under house arrest for another three months during the period of martial law in Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League participated in the 1986 Bangladeshi general election held under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, serving as the leader of the parliamentary opposition in 1986–1987.

In December 1987, Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League resigned, leading to a mass uprising in Dhaka where several people were killed, including an Awami League activist and supporter of Hasina.

Sheikh Hasina served as the tenth Prime Minister of Bangladesh from June 1996 to July 2001. Her first term was marked by economic growth, reduction in poverty, and political tumult.

On February 6, 1997, Sheikh Hasina was honored with the Degree of Doctor of Law by Boston University, recognizing her significant contributions and achievements.

In 1998, Sheikh Hasina was awarded the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize by UNESCO, acknowledging her efforts and commitment to peace and harmony.

During her second term as leader of the opposition, political unrest and violence increased. MP Ahsanullah Master died after he was shot in May 2004. This was followed by a grenade attack on 21 August on an Awami League gathering in Dhaka, resulting in the death of 24 party supporters, including Ivy Rahman, party women's secretary.

In October 2006, Sheikh Hasina and Awami League launched the Logi Boitha Movement where thousands of Awami League workers started occupying different streets of Dhaka with boat-hooks and Oars for several days. This resulted in a number of casualties, vandalisms, lootings as well as soaring prices of daily commodities.

Sheikh Hasina visited the United States embassy on 14 March 2007, accompanied by others, and later flew to the United States to visit her son and daughter, followed by a move to the United Kingdom.

On 18 April 2007, the Government barred Hasina from returning, citing provocative statements and potential disorder, described as a temporary measure during the political crisis.

An arrest warrant was issued for Hasina for murder on 22 April 2007, but later suspended. The ban on her entry was also dropped, and she returned to Dhaka on 7 May 2007 amidst public support.

On 16 July 2007, Hasina was arrested by police at her home, accused of extortion and denied bail, leading to widespread allegations of political motivation.

The High Court suspended Hasina's extortion trial on 30 July 2007 and ordered her release on bail, amidst ongoing legal battles and accusations.

On 13 January 2008, Hasina was indicted on extortion charges by a special court, along with two of her relatives, during the political turmoil.

On 11 June 2008, Hasina was released on parole for medical reasons, and the next day she flew to the United States for treatment, amidst concerns over her health and treatment during detention.

She returned to Bangladesh to contest the 2008 general election under the banner of the 'Grand Alliance' with the Jatiya Party as its main partner. She announced her party's election manifesto during a news conference and vowed to build a 'Digital Bangladesh' by 2021.

Hasina formally announced her party's election manifesto during a news conference and vowed to build a 'Digital Bangladesh' by 2021. The manifesto included pledges to implement measures to reduce price hikes, combat corruption, and strengthen the independent ACC.

Hasina was sworn into office as prime minister for a second term on 6 January 2009 after her party's victory in the 2008 general election.

In 2011, the parliament removed the law that required non-party caretaker government hold elections.

The BNP General-Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded the Awami League government to disclose a letter from the World Bank, accusing Hasina and three others of corruption.

A case against Hasina and 24 other Bangladeshi Ministers and security personnel was lodged at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the alleged violation of human rights.

Hasina secured a second-consecutive term in office with her ruling Awami League and its Grand Alliance allies, winning the 2014 general election by a landslide.

Sheikh Hasina was among the 100 most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine in 2015.

Hasina claimed that a managing director of a US bank instigated the World Bank to cancel the loan for the Padma Bridge project.

Prime Minister Hasina accused Muhammad Yunus of persuading the World Bank to terminate the loan for the Padma Bridge project.

On May 26, 2018, Sheikh Hasina was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Kazi Nazrul University, acknowledging her literary and intellectual endeavors.

Sheikh Hasina won her fourth overall term as the leader of the Awami League, amid allegations of vote-rigging and criticism from international observers.

On February 1, 2021, Sheikh Hasina was referenced in Al Jazeera's documentary titled All the Prime Minister's Men, underscoring her international recognition and influence.

On October 1, 2021, an animated film named Mujib Amar Pita, based on Sheikh Hasina's book Sheikh Mujib Amar Pita, was released, showcasing her familial connection and literary contributions.

The government passed a law establishing the Universal Pension Scheme, making all Bangladeshi citizens between 18 and 60 years old eligible to receive a monthly stipend.

The Finance Ministry requested fiscal assistance from the International Monetary Fund due to depleting foreign-exchange reserves, leading to a staff level agreement and support programme totalling US$4.7 billion.

Anti-government protests broke out, linked to rising costs, while Hasina opened the first phase of Dhaka Metro Rail, the country's first mass-rapid transit system.

On October 26, 2023, an animated film about Sheikh Russel was released, where Sheikh Hasina was portrayed as his elder sister and also contributed to the screenplay, reflecting her influence in popular culture.